NFL Player News

Martin rushed for 43 yards on nine carries in Sunday's 28-20 loss to the Dolphins.

Martin posted season highs in both yardage and touches Week 3, but starter Marshawn Lynch once again led the Raiders backfield en route to 64 yards and a score on 19 carries. Martin also was overshadowed by fellow backup Jalen Richard in the passing attack, as the latter accounted for six receptions for 59 yards on seven targets. Martin's fantasy value remains limited to deeper leagues while Lynch and Richard continue to produce at full health.

Ekeler carried the ball four times for 47 yards and caught all three of his targets for 24 yards in the 35-23 loss to the Rams on Sunday. He also lost a fumble.

The fumble happened as Ekeler was attempting to move the chains on fourth down late in the contest, closing the door on any hope of a miracle comeback. The second-year running back was hardly featured in the passing game, but neither was Melvin Gordon as the two backs combined to catch five passes after totaling 23 receptions in the previous two games. The lack of guaranteed opportunities mutes Ekeler's explosive capabilities somewhat, but a bounceback performance could be in order against the depleted 49ers in Week 4.

Barkley had 17 carries for 82 yards and a score and caught all five of his targets for 35 more yards during Sunday's win over the Texans.

Barkley's performance was better than the numbers as he constantly broke tackles and got himself into space even when the run wasn't entirely blocked. So far he's living up to his draft pedigree.

Cunningham caught one pass for nine yards in Chicago's Week 3 win over the Cardinals.

Cunningham was targeted twice in a game that saw him produce his first touch of the season. Other than his special teams work, he's been largely an afterthought in the Bears offense, and he'd likely need an injury to earn appreciable rwork on a regular basis.

Williams rushed five times for 29 yards and brought in two of three targets for 16 yards in the Packers' 31-17 loss to the Redskins on Sunday.

Williams was expected to retain clear lead-back status for at least one more week despite the return of Aaron Jones from suspension, but it was the latter who actually paced the backfield in carries, albeit by just one. Williams was more efficient on a per-touch basis, but Jones is clearly the more explosive of the two. Moreover, with Williams having averaged well under 4.0 yards per tote in the first two games, Sunday's 5.8 figure is likely an outlier. The second-year BYU product will look to continue laying claim to his share of the backfield work against the Bills in a Week 4 matchup.

Gordon carried the ball 15 times for 80 yards and a score during Sunday's 35-23 loss to the Rams. He also caught two of his four targets for four yards.

Gordon was arguably the Chargers' most explosive player Sunday, ripping off multiple 20-plus yard runs on the afternoon which culminated in a season high in rushing yards. Despite the strong running performance, it was a bit odd to see Gordon targeted so infrequently in the passing game after the fourth-year running back averaged 10 targets through the first two weeks of the season. That should change next week when the Chargers take on the 49ers, who have allowed the third-most receptions (26) to the running back position through three weeks.

Penny had just three carries for five yards in Sunday's 24-13 win over Dallas.

Penny received 10 carries Week 2 but took a backseat Sunday to Chris Carson, who ran a whopping 32 times for 102 yards and a touchdown. With a shaky offensive line and the presence of Carson, it's hard to get excited about Penny, at least at the moment. If you need Penny, he'll face Arizona in Week 4.

Elliott ran 16 times for 127 yards and caught three of eight targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 24-13 loss at Seattle. He also lost a fumble.

Elliott should've had a 31-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, as he slipped away from the defense all alone down the sideline. He stepped out of bounds before he caught the pass, however, so there was a penalty called for illegal touching. Even though he posted his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, it was a tough day all around for Elliott, who also lost a fumble late in the game at the end of a nice 31-yard scamper on which it looked like he might score. The star back hasn't been able to rip off many long runs so far this year (just two of 20-plus yards, both Sunday), but he's seeing plenty of volume and has been active in the passing game (18 targets). He's got a juicy matchup in Week 4 against Detroit, which entered Week 3 with the league's worst rush defense.

Drake carried five times for three yards and caught two passes for an additional seven yards during Sunday's 28-20 win over the Raiders.

Drake managed a long gain of just three yards and was held to a net of zero yards on his other four totes, finishing with one less carry than Frank Gore. He was utilized more in the passing game and finished second on the team in targets, but he was hardly a factor in that regard either. It was a disappointing effort for Drake, who seemed poised for a productive game against what's been a poor Oakland run defense. He's now seen his usage diminish each week of the young season and will hope for more touches next Sunday against the Patriots.

Hines caught all five of his targets for 25 yards and added 18 yards on five carries during Sunday's 20-16 loss in Philadelphia.

Hines, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry this year, did not provide much assistance on the ground in Marlon Mack's (hamstring/foot) absence, but continued to offer Andrew Luck with a security blanket in the passing game. Through three games, the rookie back has as many receptions as starting receiver Ryan Grant. Hines hasn't been able to break a big gain, but he's an interesting back-end PPR option, particularly against a Houston front that might force Luck to dump the ball off quickly.